


I Dream of the Classic

by Mandoli



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 02:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3102698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandoli/pseuds/Mandoli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Working in the Winter Classic feels like a dream until the game begins. An on-ice official's perspective on being a part of the game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Dream of the Classic

I had finally made it. It took a little bit of time, but I had done it.

It felt like a dream, to see the Winter Classic logo on my sweater. The realization of myself in the event didn't sink in through the days leading up to the event, and it didn't sink in when I was out the night before with my family. Even if I did let it sink in, I would still try to convince myself that it was all a very incredible dream; one that I don't think I would want to see end any time soon.

The rest of the crew I was working with assured me that it would be the most exhilarating feeling I would ever have. This would be minus working the Stanley Cup finals, of course. But I couldn't even start to compare the two events. Being in the Stanley Cup finals is an accomplishment and a dream at the same time. Being in the Winter Classic, though; that was more of a reward than anything else. I would be comparing apples to oranges there. The two events gave one different feelings.

You didn't feel like a little kid working Game One of the final. You felt like a little kid all over again if you were outside. I wasn't playing in the game, but I sure as hell would imagine it.

The minutes ticked by quickly. Minute. By minute. By minute.

I could feel a shiver down my back as I gathered my belongings and started the long journey down through the tunnels of the stadium. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't get hurt walking up and down the stairs with skates on. The last thing I would want to do is lose my balance and fall down. I'd not only hurt myself, I'd probably hurt the one who I was working with. I didn't want to let myself down. My moment on cloud nine would be over.

Then when I saw the crowd... Oh, don't get me started on the crowd. 40,000 screaming fans from both teams all around me. I honestly don't know what could compare to the crowd noise. Was it a normal game, in a normal arena? Or was the ballpark really that loud? I had the feeling that the ballpark was louder, but I couldn't tell you how loud it was. I don't think it really mattered at that point in time. I had to put that behind me and focus on the task at hand. That was calling the game of my life.

After the anthem was over (and oh, what an anthem it was; it was one of the better performances I had _ever_ heard before, even if I couldn't see it), I skated over closer to the faceoff dot. The league wanted me to drop the puck to begin the game, and that brought another shiver or two to my spine. _Just don't screw this one up_ , I thought to myself. _You don't want to mess it up in front of this many people._

The center men came closer. I made sure that everyone was ready to go. Raising my whistle hand in the air, I leaned in to drop the puck. Closer. Closer.

And there it was. The Winter Classic was on. The dream became reality.


End file.
